Chen Chun

01 · Lineage & Regional School

Chen Chun, Female, Han, from Tianjinhebeibangzijuyuan, is a sixth-batch national representative bearer of Hebei Bangzi (Ⅳ-22). The tradition is documented in Tianjinhebeibangzijuyuan. Within the regional tradition and school record of Hebei Bangzi in Tianjinhebeibangzijuyuan: Hebei Bangzi fully expresses the regional cultural characteristics of Hebei and has produced a group of famous performers who are deeply loved by audiences; Hebei Bangzi performances in Beijing and in Tianjin also each have a style of their own. Hebei Bangzi is the most representative local vocal operatic genre of Hebei Province. It has been known as "Jing Bangzi", "Zhili Bangzi", "Wei Bangzi" and "Qinqiang", and in 1952 it was formally given the name "Hebei Bangzi". Qinqiang and Shanxi Bangzi that had flowed into Beijing during the middle of the Qing dynasty combined with the dialects and folk music of the Hebei region, and Hebei Bangzi was formally formed during the Daoguang reign. It is now popular chiefly in Hebei, Beijing, Tianjin and parts of Shandong and Northeast China. From the 1930s onward, Hebei Bangzi began to show a trend of decline.

02 · Mastery & Signature Works

The bearer record for Chen Chun is anchored in the documented technical standards of Hebei Bangzi in Tianjinhebeibangzijuyuan. Within the documented technical tradition of Hebei Bangzi in Tianjinhebeibangzijuyuan: The singing music of Hebei Bangzi belongs to the banqiang system, with ban patterns such as the manban, erliu, liushui and jianban, together with various introductory and closing phrases. In performance the bangzi wooden clapper keeps the beat, accompanied by the banhu, flute, bangzi and sheng. The tone, while high, resonant and impassioned, constantly gives way to a gentle and plaintive quality, and the genre is adept at expressing lofty and tragic feeling. Hebei Bangzi has more than five hundred traditional plays, of which The Lotus Lantern, Qin Xianglian, Jinshui Bridge, Du Shiniang, The Butterfly Cup, The Injustice to Dou E, Teaching the Son, The Broken Bridge, Three Visits to the Bridge, Joyful Return Home, Beating the Golden Branch, Xun Guanniang, The Northern and Southern Union and Su Wu Herding Sheep have the greatest influence. Representative repertoire, works and technical entries recorded for the project include: "The Lotus Lantern": Hebei Bangzi has more than five hundred traditional plays, of which The Lotus Lantern, Qin Xianglian, Jinshui Bridge, Du Shiniang, The Butterfly Cup, The Injustice to Dou E, Teaching the Son, The Broken Bridge, Three Visits to the Bridge, Joyful Return Home, Beating the Golden Branch, Xun Guanniang, The Northern and Southern Union and Su Wu Herding Sheep have the greatest influence. "Qin Xianglian": Hebei Bangzi has more than five hundred traditional plays, of which The Lotus Lantern, Qin Xianglian, Jinshui Bridge, Du Shiniang, The Butterfly Cup, The Injustice to Dou E, Teaching the Son, The Broken Bridge, Three Visits to the Bridge, Joyful Return Home, Beating the Golden Branch, Xun Guanniang, The Northern and Southern Union and Su Wu Herding Sheep have the greatest influence. "Jinshui Bridge": Hebei Bangzi has more than five hundred traditional plays, of which The Lotus Lantern, Qin Xianglian, Jinshui Bridge, Du Shiniang, The Butterfly Cup, The Injustice to Dou E, Teaching the Son, The Broken Bridge, Three Visits to the Bridge, Joyful Return Home, Beating the Golden Branch, Xun Guanniang, The Northern and Southern Union and Su Wu Herding Sheep have the greatest influence. "Du Shiniang": Hebei Bangzi has more than five hundred traditional plays, of which The Lotus Lantern, Qin Xianglian, Jinshui Bridge, Du Shiniang, The Butterfly Cup, The Injustice to Dou E, Teaching the Son, The Broken Bridge, Three Visits to the Bridge, Joyful Return Home, Beating the Golden Branch, Xun Guanniang, The Northern and Southern Union and Su Wu Herding Sheep have the greatest influence.

03 · Transmission & Safeguarding Status

In 2025, Chen Chun was announced in the sixth batch of national representative bearers for Hebei Bangzi, with Tianjinhebeibangzijuyuan as the declared area. Within the documented safeguarding record of Hebei Bangzi in Tianjinhebeibangzijuyuan: The project was inscribed in the national inventory in 2008 (batch 2), with Tianjinhebeibangzijuyuan as its declared area, and Tianjin Hebei Bangzi Theatre as its safeguarding unit. Since the project was inscribed in the national inventory, its declared area and safeguarding unit have carried out documentation, transmission and presentation within the national safeguarding framework. Together, the inventory record and the project archive form the public documentary basis for the bearer’s transmission practice.

04 · Associated Heritage Item Dossier

05 · Fellow National Bearers Lineage

National representative bearers recorded under the same item code, ordered from the first to the sixth batch. Batch order is not a teacher–student relationship.

06 · Archival Sources & Bibliography

1. Chenchun (Tianjinhebeibangzijuyuan) · China ICH Official Project Archive
2. Chenchun · China ICH Official Archive